Message to the Children
of the
Twenty-first CenturyAn
International Symposium Commemorating the
50th Anniversary of Japan’s Participation in UNESCO
3 July 2001, Tokyo, Japan

'The children of the twenty-first century will face many challenges.
What should they be learning to help them overcome these challenges, and how should they be learning? These are questions that are
particularly important now, as values continue to diversify and the world continues to change. This book presents six themes that are linked by the concept of harmony.
... This idea of harmony in place of confrontation in solving our various problems is one that the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, emphasized in his inaugural address in 1999, and this concept is reflected in UNESCO’s initiatives to promote dialogue among civilizations...'Atsuko Toyama
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan

'As children of the twenty-first century, no matter where you are and how different you may be, you have at least one thing in common: you all embody our hope for the future. It is our hope that you will carry on doing what the preceding generations ... have done well; more than this, we hope that you will do even better, far better, than us.
...
'As we begin the new century, our top priority must be the eradication of poverty, ignorance, and violence, each of which acquires new dimensions and new meanings in a world characterized by globalization.'Koïchiro Matsuura
Director-General of UNESCOClick here to down-load e-book >>>

Dialogue
among Civilizations
The International Conference
in Vilnius, Lithuania
23-26 April 2001

The
question of the scope and potential of dialogueamong
cultures and civilizations is achievingunprecedented
significance, especially in the presentinternational
context. More than ever before, dialogueposes
a fundamental challenge and must be based onthe
unity of mankind and commonly shared values, therecognition
of the world’s cultural diversity and theequal
dignity of each civilization, culture andindividual.
This publication underlines the need toprevent
the emergence and nurturing of newprejudices
and stereotypes.

Dialogue
among Civilizations: the InternationalConference
in Vilnius, Lithuania, 23–26 April, 2001, isthe
second publication in UNESCO’s Dialogue amongCivilizations
series. It contains the proceedings of amajor
event organized by UNESCO during the UnitedNations
Year of Dialogue among Civilizations(2001).The
Vilnius Conference brought together headsof
state, political decision-makers and diplomats,distinguished
scholars, academics and artists to debateabout
the complex issues of culture and civilizations inthe
contemporary world.
Click here to download this e-book >>>

Director-General
opens symposium on Franco-Arab Dialogue

UNESCO Headquarters
29 April 2002
The symposium was attended by numerous leading figures from the political,
academic and industrial spheres, was organized by Mr Amin Esber, Chairperson
of the Arab States Group, and Mr Mohamed El-Aswad, Permanent Delegate of
Libya.
Ms Aziza Bennani, Chairperson of the Executive Board, Mr Ahmad Jalali,
President of the General Conference, and a large number ofAmbassadors, Permanent Delegates of the Arab countries to UNESCO,
also took part in the meeting, the first in a series of symposia on
Franco-Arab relations.
In his address, Mr Matsuura emphasized “the rich and manifold interactions
shaped by history, geography and culture between the Arab world and
France”. He invited the participants “to ponder the way in which we
perceive others”, this being a particularly important question “at a
time when we must do all we can to prevent the emergence and spread of new
stereotypes and prejudices and reaffirm the equal dignity of all cultures
and civilizations”.
To enhance and encourage this dialogue and ensure the preservation of
cultural diversity, the Director-General stressed the role of cultural
heritage, both tangible and intangible. “By learning to appreciate and
develop our own heritage, we can learn to know and appreciate other
cultures. This is an essential step towards ensuring fruitful dialogue and
mutual understanding”, he said.

Address by the
Director of UNESCO's Bureau of Strategic Planning, Hans d'Orville entitled
"Dialogue among Civilizations:The Role of International Organizations, Western Policiesand
the IslamicWorldWilton
Park, United Kingdom, 13 February 2002"The
events of 11 September 2001 thus suddenly brought the values which are at
the heart of UNESCO’s mission – tolerance, dialogue, mutual respect and
understanding – in one word a culture of peace – to the forefront of
international priorities. If the Dialogue among Civilizations had previously
tended to be catalogued and discounted as a "soft issue" in some
quarters, its hard core relevance is now beyond doubt." More
>>>

The
United Nations, indeed the entire global community, is observing the year
2001 as United Nations Year for Dialogue among Civilizations. This book
captures the essence of what was an important starting point for the year in
stimulating global discussions on this challenging subject.

Leaders
from all continents assembled in September 2000 to share their views on the
eve of the historic Millennium Summit. The political perspectives advanced
then were complemented by contributions from personalities drawn from
literature, the media, academia, diplomacy and international organizations.
In presenting the various contributions, this book sets out a frame for
dialogue in an increasingly interconnected world, although also one of
growing and troubling disparities and divisions.

The
ideas put forward during the Round Table show that a ‘dialogue among
civilizations’ is an essential stage in the process of founding a form of
human development that is both sustainable and equitable, humanizing
globalization and laying the basis of an enduring peace.

Message by the
Director-General of UNESCOat
the Official Celebrations of World Tourism Day
on the theme: “Tourism, a tool for peace and dialogue among
civilizations”

Tehran,
Islamic Republic of Iran, 27 September 2001It
is a privilege for UNESCO to partake in the celebrations of the 2001 World
Tourism Day in Tehran.This
year’s event occurs at a particularly critical moment for the world
community, which may well have serious repercussions for tourism and the
tourism industry as a whole.The
terror attacks unleashed earlier this month must cause us to reflect how
tourism will be affected by this indiscriminate use of force directed at
people and directed at tourism targets. What will be the implications for
other regions of the world? There is no alternative but to work strenuously
and engage in a true dialogue of civilisations that will not be overshadowed
by antithetical events and developments as well as mistrust, especially if
they are caused by anonymous forces. We must in particular uphold the basic
precepts of tolerance and respect for diversity that are at the very heart
of the notion of dialogue.More
>>>

Address by the Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of the
International Conference on Dialogue among Civilizations, Special Session on
"Political Aspects of Dialogue among Civilizations"

A virtual gallery of original
artwork for the Dialogue among CivilizationsClick here to see >>>

Report by the Director-General on the execution of the programme adopted by the
General Conference: United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations; UNESCO framework for action
This document was prepared for information of Members of

the Executive Board. It provides background about theconsideration of the subject "Dialogue among Civilizations",especially in the context of the United Nations Year of Dialogueamong Civilizations, 2001 and sets out principles followed byUNESCO. Furthermore, it reviews activities undertaken byUNESCO in observing the year and presents a framework of actionfor UNESCO and its programme sectors pertaining to the subject,which is the result of an
intersectoral effort. More
>>>

Address by the Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of the
inaugural ceremony of the International Colloquium on the Indus Valley CivilizationIslamabad, Pakistan,6 April 2001"Right from the start, the discovery of the
Indus civilization ... raised two major issues that lie at the heart of all thinking on
the dialogue of civilizations. Was it a continuation of other civilizations, in particular
those of Mesopotamia? Or did it draw its underlying force from its birth out of a local
culture?" Continue

In
Islamabad, Director-General stresses role of cultural cross fertilization past, present
and future6 April 2001

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura
today highlighted the historic and ever-pertinent importance of inter-cultural dialogue in
an address to the opening session of the International Colloquium on the Indus Valley
Civilization in Islamabad, Pakistan, where he is on an official visit of two days. Continue

Message from
the Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of World Poetry Day21 March 2001"Poetry has much to teach
us about other peoples worlds, values and dreams. It is a door open to dialogue and
understanding between peoples that we are celebrating in this United Nations Year of
Dialogue among Civilizations..." more

UNESCO Director-General addresses Governing
Council of UNEPNairobi (Kenya), 8-10
February 2001.The Environmental Dimensions of Dialogue among civilizations.
more...Address to the 21st session of the Governing Council. more...Dialogue in the Field -- Renewable Energy Technologies:
Potential for Africa. more...

UNESCO Director-General addresses Oxford
Centre for Islamic StudiesOxford (United Kingdom), 5 February 2001.The idea of "dialogue among civilizations" is
no mere catch-phrase or trite political slogan. It is an invitation for us all mentally to
leap over our ancient cultural divides in order to better understand not only one
another's world-view and sence of right and wrong, but also our irreplaceable respective
contributions to our common humanity's pooled cultural heritage.more...

Regional
Forum on Dialogue among CivilizationsOhrid, Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia,
A number of Heads of State from South-East Europe and other regions,
high-level representatives of the United Nations system, eminent scholars,
intellectuals and politicians will be invited to present their views on key
issues within the framework of the follow-up to the United
Nations Year for Dialogue among Civilizations.Dates to be announced

IXthSummit of the Francophonie on the theme "Dialogue of Cultures"Beirut (Lebanon),
18 - 20 Octobre 2002.Organized by the Francophonie and the Government of Lebanonwww.sommet2002.org/The
Director-General of UNESCO participated in the proceedings and delivered an
addressat the opening ceremony, on Friday 18 October. He took the
opportunity to stress the many objectives that UNESCO and the International
Organization of “La Francophonie” share, foremost among which are the
dialogue of cultures and the necessary promotion of cultural diversity. More
>>>

UNESCO-EPHE
Conference "Civilizations in the Eye of the Other"

UNESCO, Paris (France)
13-14 December, 2001Within the framework of the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, UNESCO and the
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes are organizing a conference which will bring together historians and
intellectuals from various continents in order to confront opinions and points of view on
such topics as voyages, texts and translations, dreams of empire or new forms of universalism. The talks
will be followed by debates.

Essay-writing
competition, organised by Seton Hall University on the topic:“How
do you envision the contribution the Dialogue among Civilizations can make
to better prepare the peoples of the world, especially the youth, for the
challenges of tomorrow?”Click
here for more information >>>

Annual Forum of the Mediterranean ProgrammeValencia (Spain),
September/October 2001(date to be determined).The Annual Forum of the Mediterranean Programme will have as it's theme
"Dialogue among Civilizations of the Mediterranean". It will bring
together immenent personalities from the world of culture, the sciences, education and
communication from the countries of the Mediterranean.

World
Youth Festival on Dialogue Among CivilizationsVilnius (Lithuania), 20-24 August,
2001This
festival is in celebration of the UN's Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations.
It will bring together hundreds of young people from around the world for an
exciting week of activities including live music, cultural and artistic
performances, and spirited dialogue on the important issues of our
"global village." Free food and accommodation and possibility of
travel coverage for some participants.
For more information, please click
here >>>

UNU
International Conference on the Dialogue among CivilizationsTokyo and Kyoto (Japan), 31 July - 3 August 2001.TheUnited Nations University will contribute to the 2001 "United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations" with a scientific exploration
of the dialogue itself, bringing together academics from diverse cultural backgrounds for discussions aimed at a better understanding of
what is necessary to realize a meaningful dialogue among civilizations. The conference is organized in collaboration with UNESCO.
UNU Centre (Contact: Birgit Poniatowski, email: poniatowski@hq.unu.edu).
Click here
for more information >>>

IV International Kondratieff Conference "Dialogue
and Interaction of East and West Civilizations: Alternatives for the XXIst
Century"Moscow (Russian
Federation), 15-17 May 2001Outstanding political
figures and scientist from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, USA and Italy will be discussing the theme: "Dialogue and
Interaction between Civilizations: Alternatives for the XXIst Century",
which ties in directly with the orientation given by UNESCO to celebration
of the Year in UNESCO's many ongoing programmes and planned special events.
Click here for more information >>>

International Conference "Dialogue among Civilizations"Vilnius (Lithuania), 23-26 April 2001.Under the auspices of H.E. Valdas Adamkus, President of the Republic of
Lithuania, H.E. Alexander Kwasniewski, President of the Republic of Poland, and Mr
Koïchiro Matsuura, Director General of UNESCOClick here for more
information

International
Conference "How to counteract Xenophobia and Intolerance in Countries with
Multi-ethnic populations"Republic of North Osetia,
Russian Federation, April 2001.

Technology and Medicine: the
Spirit of ToleranceBologna, Italy, 25
November - 20 January 2001.International Exhibition on Islamic Sciences in cooperation with the University of
Bologna (Italy), ISESCO & ALECSO.

International Forum "Young
Russia on the Eve of the XXIst Century. How to counteract aggressive extremism,
xenophobia and violenceMoscow, Russian
Federation, November 2000.With participation of youth leaders and officials responsible for work with young
people in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and of Central and
Eastern Europe.

International Seminar on "Bantu
Cultures in the Americas and in the Caribbean"Libreville, Gabon,
November 2000.
International Seminar on "Bantu Cultures in the Americas and in the Caribbean"
in the framework of the Slave Route Project.

Slavery in the Mediterranean,
Launching of UNESCO Chair on San Benedetto, Meeting of the 5th Session of the Scientific
Committee on the Slave RoutePalermo, Italy, 26 -
30 September 2000.
In the framework of the Slave Route Project.